Southeast view of the future Broadstone River House parking garage which is being constructed on the Southbank next to the Duval County Public Schools building.

Except for a “couple of weeks” delay due to Hurricane Matthew, construction on Alliance Residential’s Broadstone River House $26.6 million Southbank housing complex has been progressing pretty much according to plan.

“Things have been going along smoothly,” said Tim Graff, vice president of development for Alliance Residential.

Planned for the site, which is adjacent to the Duval County Public Schools Building, is a six-story, 263-unit apartment complex offering one-, two- and three-bedroom units. The complex will consist of two residential buildings, one fronting the St. Johns River and another fronting Prudential Drive. Community amenities include a pool, courtyard, fire pit, game areas, a social clubroom, billiards lounge, and a health club that will feature yoga and spin studios as well as top-grade fitness equipment.

Completed so far on the 3.8-acre property is the $1.2 million environmental remediation to the soil, underground infrastructure, a new $620,000 bulkhead, and two public-access bridges that will attach the property to the Southbank Riverwalk, said Graff. The cost of the bridges is approximately $88,000.

Currently under construction is a 463-space parking garage. When it is finished, part of the parking garage will be visible from the Duval County Public Schools building, however, residential units will wrap around the parking structure and the garage will not be visible from Prudential Drive, he said.

Building 1000, which directly fronts the river and will house most of the amenities, will be completed first, said Graff, adding that he anticipates the first units in that building opening in the early first quarter of 2018. “We will be delivering them by floor,” he said.

Meanwhile, Building 2000, which fronts Prudential Drive and includes the parking garage, will see all the exterior work completed leaving only interior construction left when tenants begin to move into Building 1000. “Our intent is that the exterior skin will be complete when people first move in, leaving only the interior work to finish,” Graff said.

The entire project is expected to be complete by August 2018, he said, noting Alliance Residential will begin leasing the units three months before Broadstone River House first opens its doors.

Also, included in the project will be a new $100,000 public plaza, which will be built along the Southbank Riverwalk on the west end of the property. Included in that 7,000-square-foot space will be benches, tables, and landscaping. The plaza will be connected to Prudential Drive by a wide public walkway, which will be constructed of pavers so that “everything blends into the Riverwalk,” Graff said. Wayfinding signage is also included, so the public will easily be able to spot the plaza and find its way to the Riverwalk.